Nintendo Switch 2’s ‘weird feature’ that will end up changing the way we play

Nintendo has just dropped details of a brand new device fans will soon be falling over themselves to buy – despite the eye-watering price tag.

Nintendo has just announced the details of the brand new Nintendo Switch 2 console in New York – and we were there to go hands on with everything.

It wouldn’t be a new Nintendo console without some kind of weird feature that ends up changing the way we play, and the company hasn’t disappointed us this time.

The two big changes to how you’ll play the new Nintendo Switch 2 are that you can use the JoyCon controllers like computer mice, and there’s a camera that tracks your movement to put you in the game.

My first concern with the two mice-like JoyCon was that I generally play games on my couch, not at a table.

But Nintendo had apparently thought that through, and designed them so that if you don’t have a table handy, you can just move them on your jeans and they’ll work fine.

I tested this by playing the new wheelchair basketball game Drag X Drive, which has the player operating the two controllers to move the wheels of the wheelchair.

It’s fun, frenetic and really shows how these mouse controllers can go beyond what could be played with a regular mouse, or regular controllers.

Of course, the JoyCon aren’t just mice and still have the same functionality as the old Nintendo Switch JoyCon, with the same buttons and joy sticks you’d expect.

Aside from the mouse functionality, they’re also magnetic now so they’re easier to put on and off the screen, and there is a new C button.

There was a lot of discussion about what the “C” could stand for, with pundits predicting everything from an in-game camera to a “cat” mode (the pundit would not elaborate on what that could mean).

Turns out the C is for “Chat”.

GameChat specifically, which promises to change the way people socialise in video games.

At the moment, people generally just chat in the games they’re playing using a game headset, but GameChat brings the best of Zoom together with the best of in-game chat.

The device will set you back a cool$700. Picture: Alice Clarke

Each person in the GameChat can be playing the same game or different games, and can display the game they’re playing to their friends for assistance, bragging rights, or sheer curiosity.

When combined with the Nintendo Switch 2 camera, players can have their face imposed over their gameplay so everyone can socialise better.

It’ll be huge for families who live on other sides of the world, long distance relationships, kids who want to catch up with their friends online and sociable gamers in general.

Nintendo was quick to reassure people that you won’t be GameChatting with anyone outside your friends list, and that for kids 16 and under, parents can choose to approve the kid’s friends, and even write notes for themselves so they can remember which weird nickname belongs to which of their kid’s friends (Aaron from soccer, that kid who only talks about trucks, etc).

The Nintendo Switch 2 camera can also be used to play games with camera-enabled motion controls.

Both Xbox and PlayStation have tried to make that a thing in the past, with the Xbox Kinect being the most successful attempt so far.

But if any company can make motion controls stick, it’s Nintendo.

Making it an accessory that’s sold separately will mean that people with privacy concerns don’t have to engage with it at all, but also means that people who might have enjoyed it might not pick it up if they’re not sure they can justify the extra expense.

The good news is that if you already have a good camera with a USB-C cable, there’s a good chance the Switch 2 will be compatible with it, and you could use that camera instead, which will make it more attractive for people to try.

I spent a bit of time playing with the Nintendo Switch 2 camera on the Super Mario Party Jamboree Nintendo Switch 2 Jamboree TV edition (which is an extremely clunky name for the current Mario Party game with a Switch 2 upgrade pack) and it was good.

‘I spent a bit of time playing with the Nintendo Switch 2 camera on the Super Mario Party Jamboree Nintendo Switch 2 Jamboree TV edition and it was good’. Picture: Nintendo

The camera suffered from the same issues that the Kinect and PlayStation Eye did, in that every now and then it wouldn’t track me accurately, or it would miss a movement, causing me to lose the game. But I’ll give it a little leeway because the company still has a few months before release to iron out the kinks.

Even with the issues, though, it was a lot of fun, and one of my highlights of the day was playing the goofy Mario Party mini games with the camera, because there is nothing so fun as being a bit silly with other people who are also embracing the silliness of a game.

As for the other tech upgrades, in dock mode the Nintendo Switch 2 will have most of the features that are now standard in modern current generation consoles: 4K resolution, HDR for better brightness and contrast and a 120FPS (frames per second) refresh rate for smoother motion.

The console itself features a larger 7.9” 1080p (full HD) resolution LCD screen, which is a bit of a step down from the OLED screen in the older Nintendo Switch OLED model, but it still has that 120FPS refresh-rate and HDR.

It’s also got two USB-C ports (up from one), 256GBs of internal storage (up from 32GBs) and bigger buttons for extra comfort.

It does feel a little heavier than the original Switch, but not unpleasantly so, and keeping the same thickness means it’s equally as comfortable as the original Switch.

Other highlights include Donkey Kong Bananza.

Of course, a console is nothing without games, and Nintendo has brought out the big guns. The big launch title is a new Mario Kart World game, the largest Mario Kart game in franchise history with up to 24 drivers and an open world that can be roamed freely.

Other highlights include Donkey Kong Bananza (a new 3D platformer, which is very fun to play), Kirby Air Riders (a sequel to a beloved GameCube game), highly anticipated Australian game Hollow Knight: Silksong and an original, exclusive game from From Software called The Duskbloods, which appears to be Bloodborne: Pretty Vampire.

The rest of the list of upcoming games includes heavy hitters and indie darlings such as:

● Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition

● Hades II

● Street Fighter 6

● Split Fiction

● Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4

● Enter The Gungeon 2

● Marvel Cosmic Invasion

● Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour

● Borderlands 4

● Hitman World Assassination

● Survival Kids

● Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, and many more.

While most original Switch games will be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2, there will also be “upgrade packs” available to purchase for some games, which will improve performance and, in many cases, add extra modes and content.

For example, Super Mario Party Jamboree gains Jamboree TV (which makes the original game so much better), Kirby and the Forgotten Land adds a new story and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond gains mouse controls, whereas Pokemon Legends Z-A only gains frame-rate and resolution improvements.

All of this comes at a price. Picture: Nintendo

All of this comes at a price, and hopeful gamers should brace themselves for everything to be more expensive than the current Nintendo Switch OLED.

The base Nintendo Switch 2 costs $699.95, or it’s $769.95 bundled with Mario Kart World. That’s a lot more than the Switch OLED’s retail price of $539 or even an Xbox Series S for $549.

But it is less than an Xbox Series X for $799 or base PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition for $724.95.

The games will be more expensive, too, with first-party Nintendo games currently available for pre-order selling between $109.95-$119.95, whereas they used to be $59.95-$79.95 on the original Switch.

Pre-orders are available now, with the Nintendo Switch 2 console and selected games available from June 5, 2025.

Alice Clarke travelled to New York as a guest of Nintendo

Originally published as Nintendo Switch 2’s ‘weird feature’ that will end up changing the way we play